After Joe Castiglione announced back in July 2025 that he would step away from his full-time role at the end of the 2025–26 academic year, Oklahoma wasted no time thinking about what comes next. Now officially transitioning into an Athletic Director Emeritus role, the longest-tenured AD in college sports will help guide the handover to his successor, Roger Denny.

That plan became official on Friday, when OU announced the hiring of Illinois deputy athletic director and chief operating officer Roger Denny as the next leader of Sooners athletics. According to ESPN, Oklahoma valued Denny’s legal background and identified him as a strong fit for the rapidly changing landscape of college sports. His experience spans collective bargaining, private equity, and mergers and acquisitions, all key in the NIL era.

Former AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson will continue to serve as a special advisor to both Denny and OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. Get to know the man set to guide Oklahoma athletics forward.

Roger Denny’s career

Before landing in Norman, Roger Denny built a strong résumé at the University of Illinois. He stepped into the role of Deputy Director of Athletics and Chief Operating Officer in July 2021 and oversaw day-to-day operations and managed a budget of $200 million. He acted as the sports administrator for the Fighting Illini football program, one of the biggest seats at the table in any athletic department.

His knack for modernizing a traditional program showed up in a big way in September 2025, when the university landed a historic $100 million donation from Madison Industries CEO Larry Gies. It became the largest single gift in the history of Illinois’ Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. To honor that contribution, the school renamed its iconic football venue Gies Memorial Stadium, a nod to Gies’ late father, a U.S. Army veteran.

Before making the jump to full-time athletics administration, Denny spent nearly 15 years practicing law. He was a partner at the St. Louis-based firm Spencer Fane LLP, where he worked extensively in executive compensation, taxation, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity. Along with these, he also has a strong emphasis on sports-related businesses. That legal and financial grounding is a big reason his name stood out. Plus, Denny’s academic path is just as buttoned-up.

He completed his entire education in Missouri, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science and business administration in 2004. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor from Saint Louis University School of Law, followed by a Master of Laws (LLM) in Taxation in 2009. That blend of high-level athletics management and deep legal expertise is exactly what Oklahoma was looking for. Sooners officials viewed Denny’s “hybrid experience” as a major asset.

“College athletics is undergoing profound disruption that requires us to think well beyond conventional structures and roles,” Oklahoma president Joseph Harroz Jr. said in a statement. “In Roger, we have the next natural leader who understands both the complexity of the moment and the opportunities it presents. It is clear Roger will advance the bold vision needed for OU to continue leading in a highly dynamic environment.”

Roger Denny’s family

On the personal side, Roger Denny is married to his wife, Alecia. The couple has twin sons, Trey and Michael. With Denny taking over at Oklahoma, the family is currently in the middle of a move from Champaign, Illinois, to Norman. Before their time in Illinois, the Dennys lived in St. Louis, Missouri, Roger’s hometown.

“Oklahoma has a proud tradition in college athletics. And I am honored to join a university that competes with purpose and pride,” Denny said in a statement. “My focus will be on putting student-athletes first in everything we do, providing them the resources and support to excel in competition and in life.”